Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology

To learn more about thefaculty and staff of the Surgical Technology Program, click here.
To see the Surgical Technology section in the Jefferson College of Health Sciences Catalog, click here.

Did you see the profile of our Surgical technology program on WSLS-10, the NBC affiliate in Roanoke, Virginia? Click here to watch it on the WSLS website.

The Associate in Applied Science in Surgical Technology program prepares students to become an integral part of the team of medical practitioners providing surgical care to patients in a variety of settings. The Surgical Technology (ST) Program prepares competent entry-level surgical technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. The ST program builds upon a strong foundation of general education courses. The program provides a balanced approach of theoretical and practical application in the classroom, laboratory, and clinical settings. The clinical environment allows the student to apply theory and practice in state-of-the-art surgical settings. The program provides students with the opportunity to develop the knowledge, skills and behaviors necessary for entry-level employment as surgical technologists, acceptance as a professional, and career advancement.

According to the Association of Surgical Technologists (www.ast.org), Surgical Technologists are allied health professionals, who are an integral part of the team of medical practitioners providing surgical care to patients. Surgical technologists work under the supervision of a surgeon to facilitate the safe and effective conduct of invasivesurgical procedures, ensuring that the operating room environment is safe, that equipment functions properly, and that the operative procedure is conducted under conditions that maximize patient safety. Surgical technologists possess expertise in the theory and application of sterile and aseptic technique and combine the knowledge of human anatomy, surgical procedures, and implementation tools and technologies to facilitate a physician's performance of invasive therapeutic and diagnostic procedures.

Program Goals Intro:

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be able to meet the program outcomes listed below.

Program Goals:

Correlate the knowledge of anatomy, physiology, pathophysiology, and microbiology to their role as a Surgical Technologist.

Demonstrate a safe and professional level of practice and knowledge in their role as a Surgical Technologist.

Acquire an understanding of the ethical, legal, moral, and medical values related to the patient and the surgical team during the perioperative experience.

Correlate the elements, action, and use of medications and anesthetic agents used during the perioperative experience.

Integrate principles of surgical asepsis as part of the perioperative experience.

Accurately apply knowledge and skills of a professional Surgical Technologist to address the biopsychosocial needs of the surgical patient.

Perform proficiently and competently as an entry-level Surgical Technologist in the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains.

Exhibit accountability for continued personal and professional growth and a desire for life-long learning.

Career Outlook:

College credit earned while completing the program may be applicable/transferrable stepping stone credits toward a bachelor’s degree. Clinical experience gained during courses may lead to clinical job opportunities at a variety of healthcare facilities across the region, the state and the country.

Click on a link to watch videos online about Careers in Surgical Technology.

Incoming undergraduate students must have completed a core of selected high school or college courses, and recent high school graduates (within the past three years; based upon date of entry) should provide SAT or ACT scores (SAT Code 5099, ACT Code 4367).

The following eight units of specific academic coursework are required for admission. A unit is defined as one year of high school study or one semester of college-level coursework. All core coursework must be completed with a grade of “C” or better.

Core Courses:

English 4 units

Mathematics 2 units including Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 (or geometry)

Biology 1 unit (may substitute college-level anatomy & physiology)

Chemistry 1 unit (may substitute college-level anatomy & physiology)

For acceptance into the Surgical Technology Program all college-level science courses must be completed with a “C” or better and a cumulative college grade point average of 2.0 or better is required.

Surgical Technology courses are small, may be offered during evening and daytime hours, including clinical experiences in several large area hospital surgery departments.

Electives and prerequisite courses may be taken with students in other health care programs at Jefferson College or transferred credit for these classes may be accepted. Transferred college credit must be from a SACS accredited institution. After pre-requisite courses are completed, full-time students will take three to five courses per semester for a minimum of four semesters. Non ST courses may also be offered via distance education.

Stepping Stones

College credit earned while completing the program may be applicable/transferrable stepping stone credits toward a bachelor’s degree. Clinical experience gained during courses may lead to clinical job opportunities at a variety of healthcare facilities across the region, the state and the country.

Tuition Assistance

The Financial Aid Office at Jefferson College assists students in identifying all financial resources available to help you realize your educational and career goals. Financial aid is available through public and private funding for eligible students. Prospective students are strongly encouraged to discuss their financial needs with the Financial Aid Office by calling (540) 985-8267.

Associate of Applied Science in Surgical Technology Plan of Study

*Prerequisite Courses marked with an asterisk must be completed prior to the semester 1. With approval from advisor, other prerequisite courses may be taken later. Non SUR courses may be taken earlier than listed. SUR courses must be taken in the order presented.

*All SUR courses must be completed at Jefferson College of Health Sciences